The Tale of Dr. Moodie and Ms. Alice

July 26, 2006

Dr. Rob Moodie, described as a 67-year-old "high-profile lawyer, former representative rugby player and Police Association secretary," whatever the hell most of that means, has decided to protest the "male-dominated corruption" of New Zealand’s judicial system by wearing women’s clothes to court.

Moodie was said to have "turned heads" on July 24 when he arrived at the High Court in Wellington in a stunning ensemble including a navy blue two-piece suit with ankle-length skirt, a patterned blouse, diamond-studded brooch and "dainty lace-gartered stockings covering his hairy legs." (He has insisted on keeping his mustache as well as his leg hair, which as you can see gives him sort of a Wilford-Brimley-meets-Tootsie sort of look.) Moodie was appearing to answer contempt charges against him for posting a report on the Internet that, according to Moodie, proves that the army rather than his clients was responsible for a 1994 bridge collapse that killed a beekeeper. A number of New Zealand beekeepers have died under mysterious circumstances over the past decade, and Moodie believes that a government conspiracy is responsible.

Okay, there was only the one beekeeper. I just like that detail. But Moodie does think there is a coverup. It was unclear from the report if he believes this is related to the general corruption imposed by the "male ethos" on the country’s judicial system, or something else, but either way Moodie is responding to the perceived intimidation campaign by tenaciously wearing dresses.

Moodie, a married father of three, confirmed that he is a heterosexual, just one who has always preferred women’s clothes. "I prefer and relate to the gender which is involved in the creation and nurturing of life; giving, sharing and also, I believe, fairness," he said. (A careful perusal of the article confirms that he was talking about the female gender.) "My confidence in the male ethos is zilch," he continued. "It’s a culture of intimidation, authority, power and control." The judiciary’s handling of his beekeeper case has caused him to "reflect on what it means to be a male in this country. I’ve decided I don’t actually want to be part of that ethos. . . . I will now, as a lawyer, be wearing women’s clothing. The deeper the cover-up, the prettier the frocks." It’s not well known that this was the same strategy John Dean used during the Watergate hearings. When he showed up in a lovely off-shoulder taffeta gown, Nixon knew the jig was up.

Moodie said his family supported his decision and that he thought prospective clients would understand. He said he is having a brand-new dress made for his next contempt hearing next month, at which he hopes the court will honor his request to be called "Ms. Alice." "It’s just a name I like," he explained.